2017 NBA Draft: 5 mistakes that franchises have come to regret

#3 Josh Jackson (Phoenix Suns)

Josh Jackson

With the 4th overall-pick in the 2017 NBA Draft, the Phoenix Suns selected Josh Jackson.

The 23-year-old is yet another player who isn't bad, but he was one who shouldn't have been picked in the lottery that night. The fact that De'Aaron Fox was picked right after Jackson, and Kyle Kuzma was also available until late in the first round, makes the Phoenix Suns' decision to pick Jackson look a lot worse, though.

Moreover, Bam Adebayo and Donovan Mitchell were still available to be picked that night at the 2017 NBA Draft. Either of the two players could've made the Phoenix Suns a lot more competitive than they are today, had the franchise made a more informed choice in the 2017 NBA Draft.

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#2 Lonzo Ball (LA Lakers)

Lonzo Ball

Despite having a breakout year of sorts with the New Orleans Pelicans last season, Lonzo Ball remains one of the biggest mistakes made by a team (the LA Lakers) in the 2017 NBA Draft.

During his stint with the Lakers, his passing and defense more than lived up to expectations, but the same cannot be said about the other facets of his game. Ball's jump shot is poor by any stretch of imagination, and it sometimes seems that the player may not even be able to make a layup to save his life.

Lonzo Ball drains 4 👌s to get out to 14 PTS, a career high in a single quarter! #WontBowDown pic.twitter.com/Loksw9rrK0

— NBA (@NBA) December 30, 2019

Considering the same, despite being dubbed as the franchise player by Magic Johnson himself, the Lakers traded Lonzo Ball away just two years later after acquiring him during the 2017 NBA Draft.

Three years on from that night, the player has only shown the potential to be a very good role player in the league but has largely failed to live up to his lofty expectations, which makes him one of the biggest mistakes made by a team in the 2017 NBA Draft.

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#1 Markelle Fultz (Philadelphia 76ers)

Markelle Fultz

Picked at 1st overall by the Philadelphia 76ers, Markelle Fultz is arguably the biggest mistake made by any team in the 2017 NBA Draft.

Fultz, who came into the league with a very bizarre stutter jump shot, couldn't throw the ball through a hoop even if his life depended on it. He needed a shoulder surgery during his first two seasons in the NBA.

To make matters worse, even after his surgery, the 22-year-old is far from a player who can space the floor, an attribute that made the Philadelphia 76ers pick him in the first place.

Despite having an improved year with the Orlando Magic, Fultz has massively struggled to live up to expectations, which makes the 76ers' decision to pick the player in the 2017 NBA Draft the worst one made by any of the 30 teams that night.

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